Webster University’s Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts Department of Dance is proud to present its New Works 2025 Concert, a dynamic concert featuring original choreography in modern dance, contemporary ballet, and jazz, taking place October 2-4 at Stage III on the Webster Groves Campus. 

New Works provides a vital platform for student, faculty and alumni choreographers to showcase their creativity, refine their craft, and share their passion with community. The concert serves as a space for students and choreographers to experiment with new ideas, explore fresh approaches and take artistic risks, fostering growth and valuable feedback.   

ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIES: 

Chrissy Clair (she/her) began her dance journey at Ballet Arts Center in Farmington, MO. After graduating high school, Chrissy continued her studies at Webster University’s Department of Dance, earning a BFA in Dance with an emphasis in ballet and departmental honors in 2020. Choosing to stay in the area, she has danced professionally, choreographed, and taught all in St. Louis and continues to be an active member of the thriving art community in this city. Chrissy recently choreographed “just turn me on” working with 6 artists from the community for Resilience Dance Company’s show, Collective Realities. She has spent the last six summers dancing in Space Station Residency, performing works by artistic director Jacob Henss and multiple other choreographers. This summer for Space Station, Chrissy was chosen to choreograph her own work in collaboration with her best friend Abbi LeBaube, “the fruits of her labor” which just premiered in August. Chrissy is also a dedicated member of RESILIENCE Dance Company, where she is in her fourth year as a company member and serves as the costume curator/designer. 

Kendall Heuman Dietrich (she/her) is a dancer, educator, and performing artist originally from the Springfield, Illinois area. She began her training at Dance Arts Studio and the Springfield Ballet Company and appeared in theatrical productions with the Springfield Municipal Opera. After graduating high school in 2016, Kendall moved to St. Louis to pursue her BFA in Dance at Webster University. In 2018, she broadened her studies abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, focusing on ballet and European contemporary dance. Kendall graduated with departmental honors in 2020 and went on to train with the Big Muddy Dance Company (now Saint Louis Dance Theater) as part of their trainee program. During the 2020–2021 season, she performed in various productions, including Lemp Legends. Since 2021, Kendall has been a company artist with Ballet 314, under the direction of Robert Poe and Rachel Bodi, where she performs in both mainstage productions and educational outreach programs. With Ballet 314, Kendall’s repertoire spans a range of original and classical works. Notable performances include the Sugar Plum Doll in The Nutcracker and the 1904 World's Fair, Abigail Williams in The Accused, as well as various roles in Fall Fête, and Ragtime: The American Experience.In addition to her work with Ballet 314, Kendall is a guest character artist with Saint Louis Ballet, where she has appeared in featured roles in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and most recently, “Carabosse” in Sleeping Beauty under the direction of Gen Horiuchi. Kendall is also passionate about dance education. She is on faculty at the Saint Louis Ballet School where she also coaches students for Youth American Grand Prix. In addition to teaching aspiring dancers, Kendall is an instructor on the Vitality in Motion team helping to keep Seniors active through dance.  

Maggi Dueker (she/her) is an Assistant Professor and the Chair of the Department of Dance at Webster University. She founded and is the Director of Webster’s Summer Dance Intensives. Her choreography has been performed by the Webster University Dance Ensemble, Convergence, and at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, American College Dance Festival, Dancing in the Streets, and National Dance Day. Dueker has an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received her BFA in Dance and BA in History from Webster (Summa cum laude). She performed professionally with Kaley Pruitt Dance, Giordano Dance Chicago II, Royal Caribbean International, the MUNY, and as a freelance performer with Melissa Thodos and Dancers and the Chicago Arts Project under the direction of Jay Franke. She has previously taught at Northwestern University, the Giordano Dance Center, and currently teaches for St. Louis Dance Theatre and RESILIENCE Dance Company. For her work at Webster, Dueker has been nominated for the Excellence in Teaching and Advising Excellence awards. 

A native of South Carolina, a student of the late Carl Crosby and graduate of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Robert Poe (he/him) has enjoyed a professional dancing and teaching career since 2004. For over two decades he has performed with classical and contemporary dance companies across the Southeast and Midwest, including OTSL (Orfeo, Fire Shut Up In My Bones). His passion for dance education has led him to teach for dance academies and universities throughout the St. Louis region. In 2019, he co-founded Ballet 314 where he, as Artistic Director, leads with the ethos that “excellence comes in all shades.” Through Ballet 314 he has choreographed narrative ballets such as "The Nutcracker and the World's Fair", "Ragtime the American Experience", “Poe²" and most recently, “The Accused” inspired by Arthur Miller's play about the Salem Witch Trials. Robert continues Ballet 314’s mission to celebrate local talent and highlight literacy through the arts!  

Gretchen Stanton (she/her) is a dance educator with over 30 years of experience and a lifelong passion for movement and mentorship. A graduate of Webster University with a BFA in Fine Arts, she performed professionally with MADCO, Stages St. Louis, and in numerous industrials throughout the city. Currently the Artistic Director at RJ’s Dance Studio, Gretchen has trained dancers who have gone on to perform in college programs, on cruise ships, in theme parks, music videos, and a wide range of professional settings—many of whom are now teachers themselves. For the past eight years, she has also taught jazz at Webster University, bringing her career full circle and continuing to inspire the next generation of artists. 

XI ZHAO (she/her) received her MFA in Performance and Choreography from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and her MA in Dance Choreography from Minzu University of China. A renowned choreographer, producer, and educator, she has earned numerous awards for blending traditional and contemporary elements in her works. Xi is the founder and artistic director of The NEW-Beijing New Dance Festival, which invited over 100 international artists from more than 25 countries to perform and teach in Beijing—introducing many contemporary dance artists and companies from Central and Eastern Europe to China for the first time. In recognition of her contributions, she received the "Award MENADA for Extraordinary Achievement in Contemporary Dance" at the Dance Fest Skopje in 2019. Xi was a tenured lecturer at Minzu University for 12 years before joining Webster University as a Visiting Guest Artist, where she now serves as a faculty member and artistic director of the Webster University Dance Ensemble. Committed to fostering cultural exchange, she founded the Asian Culture and Arts Exchange, an inclusive platform for artistic collaboration and cross-culture dialogue. Xi also serves on the board of The Space Station, a movement incubator for St. Louis-based creatives.